Towards monopolisation and re‐nationalisation of European social science research? Some critical remarks on the 6th Framework Programme*

Abstract

With the launching in December 2002 of the first calls of the “6th Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities, contributing to the creation of the European Research Area and to innovation (2002 to 2006)”, it is very timely to have a critical look at its reality and its potential impact on the European Research Area, in particular with respect to the social sciences. It is argued that it is by no means guaranteed that the Framework Programme will be able to mobilise the creative research potential within and outside the European Union and include the best European researchers. There is a significant danger that the Framework Programme will lead to a monopolisation of research activities within bureaucratic national research institutes (and within the networks they build) and greater political influence on research, especially by the member states and their National Research Institutes. This endangers the existing European Research Area as manifested in the open and flexible research networks that have proven their capacity in the 4th and 5th Framework Programmes. The article will start from the history of the 6th Framework Programme up to its first implementation, describe the First Call and its impacts on consortium building, and finally draw some preliminary conclusions.